- A
Power off the laptop immediately to stop all activity.
Why wrong: This may stop the current process, but it can destroy volatile evidence such as memory contents and active connections.
- B
Isolate the endpoint from the network using the EDR containment feature.
This cuts off the host from reaching other systems while preserving the powered-on state, which helps protect volatile evidence.
- C
Reimage the laptop from a gold image as soon as possible.
Why wrong: Reimaging is a recovery step, not the first containment action, and it would remove evidence needed for analysis.
- D
Disable the user account in Active Directory and wait for the malware to stop.
Why wrong: Account disablement may limit some actions, but it will not reliably stop malware already running on the endpoint.
Quick Answer
The answer is to isolate the endpoint from the network using the EDR containment feature. This is correct because containment stops the encrypted archives from being exfiltrated over SMB connections while preserving all running processes, memory, and disk state—critical for retaining volatile evidence like active malware processes and network connections. On the Security+ SY0-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of incident response procedures, specifically the priority of stopping lateral movement without destroying forensic data. A common trap is to shut down the machine or kill processes, which would wipe out volatile evidence; instead, remember that EDR containment is a surgical network block that leaves the endpoint frozen for analysis. Memory tip: “Contain, don’t kill—preserve the spill.”
SY0-701 Security Operations Practice Question
This SY0-701 practice question tests your understanding of security operations. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A SOC analyst receives an EDR alert showing a finance laptop creating encrypted archives and then attempting SMB connections to several internal file shares. The user is still logged in, and the business wants to stop possible spread without destroying volatile evidence. What should the analyst do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Isolate the endpoint from the network using the EDR containment feature.
Option B is correct because the EDR containment feature isolates the endpoint from the network while preserving all running processes, memory, and disk state. This stops the encrypted archives from being exfiltrated via SMB and prevents lateral movement, but keeps volatile evidence (e.g., active malware processes, network connections) intact for forensic analysis.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Power off the laptop immediately to stop all activity.
Why it's wrong here
This may stop the current process, but it can destroy volatile evidence such as memory contents and active connections.
- ✓
Isolate the endpoint from the network using the EDR containment feature.
Why this is correct
This cuts off the host from reaching other systems while preserving the powered-on state, which helps protect volatile evidence.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Reimage the laptop from a gold image as soon as possible.
Why it's wrong here
Reimaging is a recovery step, not the first containment action, and it would remove evidence needed for analysis.
- ✗
Disable the user account in Active Directory and wait for the malware to stop.
Why it's wrong here
Account disablement may limit some actions, but it will not reliably stop malware already running on the endpoint.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'stopping the spread' with 'destroying evidence,' and choose power-off or reimage, failing to recognize that containment in EDR is designed specifically to halt network propagation while preserving forensic data.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
EDR containment typically works by applying a host-based firewall rule that blocks all inbound and outbound traffic except to the EDR management server, often using Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) or iptables. This preserves the process memory, which can be dumped for analysis of encryption keys or C2 communication artifacts, while preventing SMB (port 445) and other lateral movement protocols from reaching internal shares.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A SOC analyst notices unusual lateral movement in the network at 2 AM. The IR playbook dictates: identify and contain (isolate the affected machine), then eradicate (remove the malware), then recover (restore from backup), then document. Skipping containment before eradication risks the attacker regaining access. Questions like this test the sequence and rationale of incident response phases.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Security Operations — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Security Operations practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SY0-701 questions
1,152 questions across all exam domains
- →
Security+ SY0-701 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SY0-701 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SY0-701 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
General Security Concepts practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to General Security Concepts.
Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations.
Security Architecture practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Architecture.
Security Operations practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Operations.
Security Program Management and Oversight practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security Program Management and Oversight.
Security+ social engineering questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ social engineering questions.
Security+ cryptography practice questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ cryptography.
Security+ IAM questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ IAM questions.
Security+ risk management questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ risk management questions.
Security+ incident response questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ incident response questions.
Security+ malware questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ malware questions.
Security+ vulnerability management questions
Practise SY0-701 questions linked to Security+ vulnerability management questions.
Practice this exam
Start a free SY0-701 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SY0-701 question test?
Security Operations — This question tests Security Operations — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Isolate the endpoint from the network using the EDR containment feature. — Option B is correct because the EDR containment feature isolates the endpoint from the network while preserving all running processes, memory, and disk state. This stops the encrypted archives from being exfiltrated via SMB and prevents lateral movement, but keeps volatile evidence (e.g., active malware processes, network connections) intact for forensic analysis.
What should I do if I get this SY0-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on SY0-701
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A SOC analyst reviews an EDR alert showing powershell.exe launched with an encoded command, then immediately connected to an unfamiliar IP address and spawned rundll32.exe. The user is still logged in and the machine may still contain evidence needed for investigation. Which two actions should the analyst take first to contain the incident while preserving evidence? Select two.
hard- ✓ A.Isolate the endpoint using EDR network containment or a quarantine policy.
- ✓ B.Disable the user account and revoke active sessions or tokens for that identity.
- C.Reboot the workstation immediately to clear any malicious process from memory.
- D.Run a full vulnerability scan before taking any other action.
- E.Delete the suspicious email from the mailbox to remove the original payload.
Why A: Option A is correct because isolating the endpoint via EDR network containment or quarantine policy immediately stops the malicious process from communicating with the command-and-control (C2) server at the unfamiliar IP address, preventing data exfiltration and lateral movement. This action preserves the volatile evidence in memory (e.g., the spawned rundll32.exe process) and on disk, allowing forensic analysis without the risk of the attacker destroying evidence remotely.
Keep practising
More SY0-701 practice questions
- An HR analyst must send a salary file to an external auditor. The auditor only needs names, departments, and salary tota…
- An investigator receives a suspect laptop drive that may be used in court. Which approach best supports a forensically s…
- An investigator must collect data from a suspected insider-threat laptop so the evidence could be used in an HR and lega…
- An NDR tool shows a production web server sending small, periodic DNS queries to random-looking subdomains under a domai…
- An investigator needs to make a forensic image of a suspect laptop without changing the original drive contents. Which t…
- An operations team manages Linux servers over SSH. The security team wants to stop direct management access from employe…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SY0-701 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SY0-701 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.